Lithotomy drape

ABSTRACT

A surgical lithotomy drape or the like is fabricated by folding flat sheet material to form legging pockets having folds at the bottoms of the pockets and having sealed edges along the sides of the pockets so that the depth of the pockets is controlled by the length of a central cross strip portion of the drape and is independent of the width of the remaining portion of the drape.

United States Patent 11 1 Collins [4 Aug. 7, 1973 LITHOTOMY DRAPE3,251,360 5/1966 Melges 128/292 x 3,335,719 8/1967 Boucher 128/132 D[75] Inventor} Bamngwn 3,343,534 9/1967 Keoughan, Jr. et a1. 128/132 D[73] Assignee; The Kendal] Company, Walpole, 3,613,676 10/1971 Endres etal 128/132 D Mass.

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum [22] Ffled' 1971 Attorney-RowlandV. Patrick [21] Appl. No.2 201,736

[57] ABSTRACT 2 l E 1 fi g A surgical lithotomy drape or the like isfabricated by [58] Field R 132 D folding flat sheet material to formlegging pockets hav- 1 ing folds at the bottoms of the pockets andhaving sealed edges along the sides of the osters so that the [56]References Cited depth of the pockets is controlled by the length of acentral cross strip portion of the drape and is indepen- UNITED STATESPATENTS dent of the width of the remaining portion of the drape. R26,7591/1970 Melges..; 128/292 X 3,037,507 6/1962 Melges 128/292 7 Claims, 10Drawing Figures IO 30 32 I7 34 19 L A g I\ I r; 12 I 60 I 14 l 1 Q 5 36Q 24 LITI-IOTOMY DRAPE This invention relates to a surgical lithotomydrape or the like and more particularly to a disposable drape made ofunwoven sheet material which is folded in such manner as to includeleggings.

Drapes of this type are known to the art, one form being illustrated inUS. Reissue Pat. No. 26,759.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved drapewherein the depth of the legging pockets isindependent of the width ofthe drape, thus permitting saving of material in those cases where it isdesired to provide so much pocket depth that the pockets when in a flatfolded laterally extending position reach beyond the side edges of theremainder of the drape.

The above and other features of the invention will be more fullyunderstood when taken in connection with the following description ofembodiments of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical drape broken away to indicatevariable extent;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of unfolded sheet material parts from which thedrape of FIG. 1 is fabricated;

FIG. 3 is a plan view indicative of the manner in which the centralportion strip of FIG. 2 is folded;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing additional folds imparted to the strip ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partially unfolded view showing how the folds ofFIG. 4 are made;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the central portion strip of FIG. 2 indicatingdifferent fold lines for making a modified folded version of the drapeof the invention.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the modified foldedversion;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 indicating still different fold linesfor making another modified version of the drape; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 show partially unfolded views of two different foldedversions of the strip of FIG. 8.

The surgical drape shown in FIG. 1 is fabricated with a single one-piecerectangular strip 10 of drape material, shown in FIG. 2, acting as thecentral cross portion thereof.

The strip 10 is folded in such a way that the strip is divided intoconnected panels A B C D and E with the middle panel C having the shapeof an isosceles trapezoid.

The end panels A and E are both rectangular in shape and are connectedto the middle panel C by intervening panels B and D.

While the sequence of folding is unimportant, FIG. 3 shows panels B andA at one end and D and E at the other end folded under trapezoidal panelC so that they extend downwardly from the diagonal fold lines Hand 14which are coincident with the non-parallel sides of the trapezoidalpanel C.

FIG. 4 shows the panels A and E folded back upwardly under the panels Band D, the panels A and E having been hinged or folded along the foldlines 16 and 18 so that the'original end edges 17 and 19, respectively,of the strip 10 become continuations of the top edge 34 ofmiddle panel Cin line therewith. All or most of the top edges 20 and 22 of the panelsB and A and of the panels D and E are sealed together. Also it ispreferred to seal the bottom edges of juxtaposed panels B and A and of Dand E at 24 and 26 respectively.

FIG. 5 illustrates how the bottom edges of the panels A and B areconnected together by fold 16 while the top of B and the side of C areconnected by fold 12.

FIGS. 1 and 5 show how the legging pockets are formed between the panelA and the overlying panel B (or, on the other end, the panel E and theoverlying panel D) with the openings 30 and 32 to the pockets facingupwardly and outwardly and being coincident with the non-parallel sidesof the trapezoidal middle panel C.

The folded strip as shown in FIG. 5 thus has a triangular singlethickness portion formed of the outer corner of end panel A. Theportions of the panels A and B which extend below the bottom of thepanel C form a double thickness area whereas the triangular areaadjacent the opening 30 to the pocket has a triple thickness of all thepanels A B and C. A similar arrangement exists with panels E D and C.

Since end edges 17 and 19 of the original strip are in alignment withthe top edge 34 of trapezoidal middle panel C, a separate panel 40 maybe attached to the cumulative length of edges 17, 34 and 19 by anoverlapping adhesive seal, as indicated in FIG. '1, without attaching itto any edge of panels B or D.

Similarly to enlarge the sterile field in use a panel may-be adhesivelysecured to the lower edge 36 of the middle trapezoidal panel C, as shownin FIG. 1, without attaching the panel, 50 to any portions of thepockets. The panel 50 in FIG. 1 is shown broken away to-indicate thatits extent downwardly can be a varying length.

It will thus be seen that the central portion of the drape of FIGS. 1-5is formed from a rectangular strip of drape material having a middlepanel. Triangular end portions of panels A and E are in effect gatheredinwardly so that their inner or hypotenuse edges lie on spaced diagonallines 12 and 14 extending across the strip from the top edge 34downwardly and outwardly to the bottom edge 36, leaving interveningportions folded one upon another forming pockets with fold lines 16 and18 at their bottoms and presenting mouth openings 30 and 32 extendingalong the diagonal lines l2 and 14.

Moreover, the middle panel C is of isosceles trapezoidal shape and isflanked by end panels A and E portions of whichare folded under themiddle panel. The panels A and E are connected to the middle panel C byintervening panels B and D which are sandwiched by the folds between thefolded under end panels A and E and the middle panel C. The interveningpanels B and D are connected to the middle panel C along fold lines 12and 14 which are coincident with the non-parallel sides of thetrapezoidalmiddle panel C. The intervening panels B and D are furtherjoined to the end panels A and E respectively along fold lines 16 and 18extending parallel to the parallel edges 34 and 36 of the middle panel CWhile in the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-5 the pockets extend parallellydownwardly from the openings 30 and 32, FIGS. 6 and 7 indicate how, whenpermissible or desirable, the pockets can be arranged in alignment atopposite ends of the middle portion of the drape, simply by hinging thepockets about the diagonal lines 12 and 14 so that the pockets lie underand extend outwardly beyond the triangular panels or flaps A and E. FIG.7 illustrates how this hinging action occurs about the hinge line 12 ofFIG. 5 unfolding the fold 12 while simultaneously making a diagonal foldbetween panel A and panel B at 12" as shown in FIG. 7.

When diagonal openings such as 30 and 32 are not necessary, certain ofthe objectives of the invention are still attained by utilizing pocketswhich do not have diagonal mouths. The fold lines of such a version areindicated in FIG. 8 and the folds shown in FIG. 9. Thus the end panels Aand E are folded inwardly under the central rectangular panel C" formingloops or pockets having bottom folds 16 and 18 when the top and bottomedges of the overlapping portions of the panels A" and E" are adhesivelysecured to the top and bottom edges of the overlapped portions of panelsB" and D". The pockets thus formed have openings 30 and 32 facingoutwardly and extending perpendicularly across the width of the strip.

In the case of FIG. 9, the panel 40 will be attached to the top alignededges of panels A" C" and E", leaving the loops or pockets free to hingeabout the fold lines 12" and 14''. The bottom panel 50 will also beattached to the bottom edges of panels A" C" and E'. again leaving thepockets free to hinge about the fold lines '12" 14'. When so hinged thepockets may lie as shown in FIG. 10 with the mouth openings 30" and 32"facing inwardly instead of outwardly and the fold lines 12" and 14 beingbetween the panels A' and B' and between panels E' and D, instead ofbeing between the panels B" and C" and C and D" in the folded formshownin FIG. 9.

As can be understood whether the folding be done in the manner of FIG.or in the manner of FIGS. 7, 9 or 10, the length of the rectangularstrip of FIG. 2 is entirely independent of the width of the drapematerial used to form the upper and lower sections 40 and 50.

As an'example, in FIG. 2 the total length of the strip can be 185inches, the top edge 34 of panel C being 17 inches in length and the topedges of each of panels A, B, D and E being 42 inches in length.

The width of the rectangular strip 10 may be '30 inches.

The result is that the lower section 50 has a width of 77 inches as doesthe folded central section when folded in accordance with FIG. 5. InFIG. 7 the folded central section will be about 24 inches longer withthe pockets extending outwardly on each side of the middle panel beyondthe side edges of the remainder of the drape material. In all of FIGS.7, 9 and 10 however the distance between edges 17 and 19 of the foldedstrip may remain constant while the depth of the pockets may vary byvarying the original length of the, strip 10; while in FIGS. 1-4 thecumulative length 17, 34, 19 may remain constant while the pocket depthsare similarly varied. v

The reference number 60 marks a fenestration for surgical accesspositioned in accordance with known practice.

What is claimed is:

l. A surgical drape having a central portion comprising a rectangularstrip of drape material having a middle panel,

end portions of said strip being gathered inwardly to form panels haVingtheir inner edges lying on spaced lines extending across said strip fromone edge of said strip downwardly to the opposite edge of said strip,leaving intervening portions of said strip in folded relation one uponthe other forming pockets having fold lines at the bottoms of thepockets and presenting mouths extending along said spaced lines,

edges of said strip in said intervening portions being sealed along atleast a portion of the sides of said pockets.

2. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pockets formed bysaid intervening portions present mouths extending diagonally acrosssaid rectangular strip in opposite directions at opposite ends of saidstrip.

3. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 1 wherein the middle panel isrectangular in shape and the pockets formed by the intervening portionsof the strip present mouths extending perpendicularly transversely ofsaid rectangular strip.

4. A surgical drape comprising a rectangular strip of drape materialincluding a middle panel having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid,portions of said strip material connected to the non-parallel sides ofsaid middle panel being folded under said middle panel and forming apair of pockets depending from said middle panel;

said pockets presenting openings which face diagonally outwardly withrespect to said middle panel, and

separate pieces of material adhered to the top and bottom edges of saidfolded strip to enlarge the overall area of said drape.

5. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pockets presentopenings facing diagonally upwardly and outwardly at the ends of themiddle panel.

6. A surgical drape comprising a rectangular strip of drape materialincluding a middle panel having the shape of an isosceles trapezoidflanked by end panels portions of which are folded under said middlepanel and connected to said middle panel by intervening panelssandwiched by folds between said folded-under end panels and said middlepanel and joined to the middle panel along fold lines coincident withthe non-parallel sides of said trapezoidal middle panel and joined tothe end panels along fold lines extending parallel to the oppositeparallel edges of said middle panel,

each end panel and its adjacent connecting panel having side edgessealed together to form a pocket having an opening facing diagonallyoutwardly at the ends of said middle panel.

7. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 6 wherein the end edges of thefolded under panels lie in alignment with the shorter longitudinal edgeof said trapezoidal middle panel as continuations thereof.

1. A surgical drape having a central portion comprising a rectangularstrip of drape material having a middle panel, end portions of saidstrip being gathered inwardly to form panels haVing their inner edgeslying on spaced lines extending across said strip from one edge of saidstrip downwardly to the opposite edge of said strip, leaving interveningportions of said strip in folded relation one upon the other formingpockets having fold lines at the bottoms of the pockets and presentingmouths extending along said spaced lines, edges of said strip in saidintervening portions being sealed along at least a portion of the sidesof said pockets.
 2. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 1 wherein thepockets formed by said intervening portions present mouths extendingdiagonally across said rectangular strip in opposite directions atopposite ends of said strip.
 3. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 1wherein the middle panel is rectangular in shape and the pockets formedby the intervening portions of the strip present mouths extendingperpendicularly transversely of said rectangular strip.
 4. A surgicaldrape comprising a rectangular strip of drape material including amiddlE panel having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, portions ofsaid strip material connected to the non-parallel sides of said middlepanel being folded under said middle panel and forming a pair of pocketsdepending from said middle panel; said pockets presenting openings whichface diagonally outwardly with respect to said middle panel, andseparate pieces of material adhered to the top and bottom edges of saidfolded strip to enlarge the overall area of said drape.
 5. A surgicaldrape as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pockets present openings facingdiagonally upwardly and outwardly at the ends of the middle panel.
 6. Asurgical drape comprising a rectangular strip of drape materialincluding a middle panel having the shape of an isosceles trapezoidflanked by end panels portions of which are folded under said middlepanel and connected to said middle panel by intervening panelssandwiched by folds between said folded-under end panels and said middlepanel and joined to the middle panel along fold lines coincident withthe non-parallel sides of said trapezoidal middle panel and joined tothe end panels along fold lines extending parallel to the oppositeparallel edges of said middle panel, each end panel and its adjacentconnecting panel having side edges sealed together to form a pockethaving an opening facing diagonally outwardly at the ends of said middlepanel.
 7. A surgical drape as claimed in claim 6 wherein the end edgesof the folded under panels lie in alignment with the shorterlongitudinal edge of said trapezoidal middle panel as continuationsthereof.